Fabian interviewed on Radio Leeds about fuel prices

Fabian was interviewed by Radio Leeds on Monday 2 December 2013 following the recent announcement by some energy supply companies that their bills would be about £50 per household lower than originally predicted in 2014. This has come about following a panic decision by the Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the Exchequer to meet, from central taxation, the cost of some of the subsidies that are available for people living in fuel poverty.

Fabian welcomed the relief that would be available for family enerygy costs although it would only be small in comparison with the expected size of the average annual fuel bill of some £1340. Fabian's strongest words were directed towards the large energy companies who he suspected of collusion in setting prices and felt that the £1 Million salary and bonus payments offered to some chief executives were completely unjustified.

Fabian is a member of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Fuel Poverty. With his Westminster colleagues he has looked at energy procurement in other European countries and calls for trial in the UK of a German model of purchasing. This involves the local authority buying fuel on behalf of residents and thus having much greater bargaining power than the individual consumer.

Fabian empathises with the real difficulties faced by many households who have seen their energy bills soar in the last three years yet their earnings have been frozen in spite of the fact, in many cases, that people are having to work harder and longer than every before to try and make ends meet. "No wonder",saysFabian , " That there is so much anger about executive greed in these industries. Profit making and lavish remuneration should form no part of the business of supplying essential public utilities".